What is your new?

It’s a new year. New everything, new clothes, new goals, a new diet? This new is supposed to direct us into our desires for in the next 365 days. What is really new about January 1st each year? Creatures of habit, we begin the year with a bang! We wish our friend’s a Happy New Year at midnight, put on our fresh prospective glasses and head off into the new blue yonder Your cruising along and life just barges right in and diffuses your new. Being a bit more real with myself these days, my new was to continue with what worked for me in 2018.

For those who know me I am a sentimental gal and have furnishings in our home from long ago. I have been known to take a few things home that someone else might be tossing to give them a home. But three years ago I set off to let go of things in our home that did not serve a purpose. Quite honestly, the first year was painful. I began small with a paper shopping bag each week, filling it for donation to our local pet shelter resale store. The second year, I graduated to trash bags, filling multiple bags in a day. Oddly, never, I say never, missing one of the items I let go of. Finally reaching a place where I loaded our truck twice, garage sale bound with a friend. What brought me to sell my last child’s Barbie and Lego toys that were no longer used by Grandchildren? I was hanging on to old memories via objects and things. Liberating and emotional were the two feelings I experienced. What a reward received by letting go of the old! New space and new energy and less worry. This new I am still embracing like a big overstuffed teddy bear.

Last month I was visiting with a woman from our community, we were discussing my goals for our home. (If you take nothing away from this blog but her words I will be happy) She said, “ The things you hold on to are from a time in your past. Are you that person today?” Well, of course I am not that person today. Her words were validation to continue to push further into the old and invite new into my space.

The new year at the Good Acres began with creating new in a very different way. Clearing not only things and objects but clearing time, more to learn and apply that learning here in our gardens. As I make time to study plants and their benefits and application in my life I must clear my calendar. Sounds rather crazy for a person often referred to as the Energizer Bunny, but it’s my new and I’m sticking to it. I have slipped a few times and I will again. It’s a tasty carrot dangling in front of me on the road of 2019.

Curious as to how Webster’s defines new, “I Googled that.”

new-ADJECTIVE

not existing before; made, introduced or acquired recently or now or the first time.

already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time

just beginning or beginning anew and regarded as better than what went before.

Which of these three are how you define new? I relate to number 2. I see that the coming year is already existing and seen.

Day two into my new, doing what I set forth to do last year. It feels good to do what might be considered old year business. Give yourself some quiet time to parse what was good from your old and invite it into your new year. What is your new?